In the interest of balance, here was the good week for the same couple:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbhzZ...eature=related

For something closer to home look on You Tube for "Pink JukeBox" .... Class A is the highest grade - class B is intermediate.

Most of their comps have been held at the famous Rivoli Ballroom - hence the rather poor lighting - but are apparently moving to Blackpool as the Rivoli is no longer big enough.

Thanks kaycee for new info.

A wiser person than me would have to explain why male dancers have to wear all black like undertakers so that they nearly disappear on the floor. Maybe it is a deep ploy to showcase the woman partner resplendent in colour, i.e. a conscious subtle policy to benefit from inequality.

Politicians are the same, whether it be House of Commons or G8 leaders. The men look like indistinguishable undertakers while a sprinkling of women liven the picture with colour. Men must be missing a gene for awareness of colour. It was not thus in Elizabethan England.

In the Pink Jukebox clips most male couples wore the same costume looking like two-men basketball teams, two peas in a pod. I can barely see who is who. Gender or gaiety apart, loss of variety and complementary contrast does not enhance a performance. As for two girls dancing, colours will be there but without sharp masculine angularity then soft feminine suppleness does not show up so well.

I should have said, I meant the Strictly professionals this year.

Wow way to forward the cause there lol.

care to explain that comment or did you really mean it to be quite as offensive as it reads?

Not sure, how are you reading it?

I'm saying nothing but I will offer this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eomGV...eature=related

and this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiX0bSspyQs

Ok, I'll repost this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiX0bSspyQs

That's interesting to hear that Ballroom wise America are more liberal, because outside of Ballroom I would put other countries ahead of them when it comes being liberal (whether sexuality issues and some others) just from having family that have lived there and other European friends that have visited there and not felt any less open minded than te locals.


They don't need to like the passion element when dancing with women, they just have to be good at faking the emotion like the other straight male Pros do that don't fancy or have any remote attraction to their female pro have to as well.. And likewise for female Pros (whether gay or straight) that have to be good at faking the emotion when dancing with either a straight or gay male Pro partner. It would not be the first time in history that Professional dance partners (not just in Ballroom but Ballet too) have not had any attraction or even an element of like for each other at all but have just had to pretend convincingly that there is a chemistry there in the dance. Dancing isn't just skills of steps and moves, it's acting too.
A same sex couple won't equal natural chemistry by default just as a heterosexual couple won't equal a natural chemistry by default (circa Lilia Kopyliva and Dom).

As sheer sarcasm

Oops. My post should have read lack not like

For ballroom it is traditional for tail suits to be black, although occasionally some dancers (straight & gay) have worn pale grey.

In some Latin competitions male dancers have to wear black trousers, although their shirts can be any colour they choose. Other competitions allow whatever colours they like. A lot feel that if they wear black trousers then a black shirt will give them a better silhouette whereas contrasting shirt & trousers give a "broken" line. All in the eye of the beholder I guess! ?

I wonder what the chances are that the male celeb would be paired off with Anton, who would make a joke of it?

Seriously, if there is even the remotest chance that a same-sex couple might be designated as the "comedy" contestant, then I'd rather not see same-sex couples on Strictly. It would only work if it's taken seriously, because making fun of the contestant is just offensive.

Again, thanks KC for new info. When male latin dancers retire I suggest that they sell their all-black costumes to the SAS as these would make excellent camouflage when under cover. I would say the same to occasional woman dancers who wear all black.

Dance teachers go to great trouble to explain what parts of the body should be straight or bent or flexed etc. If during studio lessons the teacher could wear spiderman suits showing x-y-z mesh, then all movements will become obvious. I would like to patent this idea please. Dancesport please take note.

James has a penchant for grey, I thin it looks horrible.

I do like the all black look, I think it makes them look sexy and dangerous rather than like an ice cream seller at Disneyland.

Hmm...I'm all for grey but that's because Ian immediately springs to my mind as a grey tails-sporter. Think of James in grey and the image becomes automatically less appealing to me. Go figure.

I'm actually surprised James doesn't go for an all-black look, it's hardly as if he's known for his love of subtle costumes is it? *cough*Olascatsuits*cough*

Excellent demo kass. So glad you posted the first clip of Los Hermanos. I planned to but you beat me to it! They are fantastic!

Ditto all the rest

Interesting to read this thread. Methinks they doth protest too much

What she said. It's absolutely true. It is also true in ballet.

My ballroom partner was gay, which made not a jot of difference to me (I'm straight and female) because we danced well together - and made a very good teaching couple.

I taught gay as well as straight couples. Made no difference to me whatsoever. It was about dance.

yes then... but not offensive.

I'm not sure how LOL relates to the Special Olympics. Is it cool to laugh about people with disabilities?

I wish someone would tell me these things, I'm always the last to be on trend.

Switching leads, for an experienced dancer, is easy. Any competent dancer should be able to do both lead and follow, albeit with different skill / experience levels.

It's far more difficult to continuously share a lead. I can do it in AT with a few other guys who are at the same or better level as myself, and it creates a fascinating visual dynamic - weirdly, it looks incredibly aggressive for some reason.


Of course it's not.

It's obviously only homophobic if someone said "Oh, I don't think gay people should do partner dancing".

No-one's said that. No-one's ever likely to say that.

I wasn't laughing at people with disabilities but if you want to leap to taking offence go ahead. Seems to be the trend of the thread which you are actually ahead on.

I'm asking a question. What did your LOL comment refer to?

I'm not offended. I'm simply curious.

Any chance of you explaining the humour to a thickie like me?

Welll Jonny Ball is apparantly training with Ian Waite due to Aliona's injury.

You might get your wish yet - who'd have thunk it was Johnny Ball who'd be in the first same-sex couple !!